posted Feb 21, 2012 11:06 AM by Cynthia Friedman
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Looking Ahead
We look forward to the Great Lesson on the Story of Language within the next several weeks! In this lesson, Maria Montessori presents language as a tool for human progress. She expresses gratitude for all the people and civilizations who contributed to our alphabet. The story underscores gestures as a very early form of communication in human history. Later human beings painted pictures to express ideas; some examples are Sumerian pictographs and cave paintings. Often people needed to communicate about fundamental needs to tribes not present. If ten buffalo were spotted, they might express this as picture of a buffalo with ten marks underneath. Pictures gradually evolved into symbols as evident in early hieroglyphics. One example is the picture of an eagle which meant eagle but later evolved into a symbol for the sound “A”.
The Great Lesson historically traces the roots of our modern day alphabet. The Phoenicians who lived around 5,000 years ago on the Mediterranean Sea of North Africa traded with the Egyptians who by now had sound pictures. As merchants, the Phoenicians needed the tool of language; thus they created the Phoenician Alphabet from Egyptian sound pictures. Other civilizations made changes to the alphabet—first the Greeks, then the Romans. In closure, the story reminds us to appreciate the contributions to our alphabet by remembering the first sounds discovered during the primary years which later the student blended to form words that have meaning. We have the ability to read great works of literature today because of the human beings who came before us! The story plants the seed for further research of the origins of languages and their impact on ancient cultures.
Field Trip to Hult Center
Our field trip to the Hult Center was a great success! Thank you to our wonderful parent drivers and chaperones: Betsy Brandenfels, Polly Sturdivant, Amanda Stout, Serafina Moses, and Catherine Inocencio.
Going Out
Students are planning small group field trips to Oregon Zoo and Greenhill Humane Society. More details to come!
Science Experiments
Students are planning small group science experiments. Your child will receive a note in the coming week with items he/she volunteered to bring for the experiment. Thank you!
Wishing you an awesome weekend!
Faith & Donna |
posted Feb 13, 2012 10:02 AM by Cynthia Friedman
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Great Lessons: The Story of Life and the Story of Human Beings
We look forward to the Great Lessons on the Story of Life and the Story of Human Beings within the next few weeks! The Story of Life, the second Great Lesson, is the story of natural history—illustrating on a time line all the plants, animals, and ice ages which prepared the earth for human beings to arrive. Maria Montessori emphasized that when human beings arrived the earth was ready for them. The Story of Human Beings underscores the ways in which we are different from other animals. The abilities to think and imagine, to work with the hands, and to love are unique gifts of human beings. These gifts allowed the first human beings to survive in an unknown world; they are the cornerstone of human progress. Montessori reminds us that we today have the same gifts as early human beings. Although our time period and circumstances have changed, we too meet our fundamental needs through an intricate connection with the environment. Montessori reminds us to recognize and value the gifts of human beings and appreciate interdependence, the reality of life.
Valentine Party Feb. 14
Our class will exchange cards for Valentine’s Day on Tues., February 14. Students are welcome to bring cards to share with classmates. Bringing cards is optional (please no candy); if your student chooses to bring cards, please bring one for each person in the class.
Students may also bring fruits, vegetables, and other prepackaged foods to share with the class (please see wellness policy in family handbook).
Hult Center Field Trip Feb. 16
A permission slip for the field trip to the Hult Center was sent home Feb. 10. Please sign and return to school, Mon. Feb. 13. An electronic copy of the permission slip is attached to the newsletter.
Going Out
Thank you Serafina Moses for driving and chaperoning the going out to the Jordan Schnitzer Art Museum! We appreciate your support of the students’ research interests! Several other small groups are planning going outs—more details to come.
Reading Goal
Thank you for supporting your child in completing his/her reading goal at home by Feb. 13. After completing a book from the National Endowment for Humanities Book List, please choose a new book from the list to complete with your child by March 23. The students participating in Oregon Battle of the Books are completing their reading goals with the OBOB List. Thank you for returning the weekly home reading logs and supporting your child in bringing a book from home for daily silent reading in class.
Ridgeline Calendar of Events
Alaskan Husky Spirit Assembly, Feb. 17 8:45 a.m.
Middle School’s “Kid’s Night In,” Feb. 17 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
President’s Day, Feb. 20 No School
Spaghetti Dinner DDD Kick-Off Event, Feb 24 6-8 p.m.
Best,
Faith & Donna |
posted Jan 26, 2012 11:46 AM by Cynthia Friedman
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Great Lessons
We will be focusing on the Great Lessons throughout the next few weeks! The first Great Lesson, “The Story of the Universe” is the framework for all work in the elementary. The story strikes the imagination of the student to ponder the unfathomable universe and its origin. The formation of the earth and the sun—specks of nothingness in the vastness of space—is underscored. Experiments highlight concepts of physical science within the framework of the mystery of the universe, some examples include three states of matter, a model of a liquid, liquids settle according to weight, change of state of matter, and the forces between particles. Impressionistic charts strike the imagination to explore the enormous volume of the sun compared to the earth, heating and cooling of the earth, bursting of volcanoes through the earth’s crust, and the formation of vast oceans. Underlying the story is the idea of cosmic task—everything in the universe has a unique purpose and is an integral part of the whole.
Socratic Dialogue
Our Socratic Dialogue selections this week are from Aesop’s Fables: “The Astronomer” (it is easy to overlook the obvious), “The Bear and the Two Travelers” (misfortune tests the sincerity of friendship), and “The Thieves and the Cock” (the safeguards of virtue are not always recognized).
Muffin Sale
The students look forward to a muffin sale fundraiser at dismissal on Fri., Feb. 3. They will sell muffins for $1.25 each; all proceeds will be used for class supplies and field trips. Thank you for supporting our community!
Parent Folder
Please return the purple parent folder every Monday. The folder is used for correspondences from the Ridgeline community, reading logs, homework, and class notes.
Field Trip
We are planning a field trip to the Hult Center on Thurs., Feb. 16 to see the lunchtime performance of songs from Glee by the Rose Children’s Theater. A permission slip will be sent home the week of Feb. 6. Please let me know if you are interested in being a parent driver and chaperone.
Wishing you a blessed weekend!
Sincerely,
Faith & Donna |
posted Jan 12, 2012 12:40 PM by Cynthia Friedman
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updated Jan 12, 2012 12:45 PM
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Happy Birthday Martin Luther King!
Our class will be celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by reading and discussing the “I Have a Dream Speech” and watching video footage of the speech. We look forward to tape recording our Socratic Dialogue on the speech in the format of a round table radio program discussion.
We have been invited by Diana and Paula’s kindergarten class this Friday to participate in a peace ceremony in honor of Dr. King. During the ceremony, there will be a candle light vigil; we will sing an African American spiritual, listen to an excerpt of the “I Have a Dream Speech”, and receive gifts of peace medals handmade by the kindergarten students. We are grateful to be in community with the kindergarten students in honor of Dr. King’s life!
Read-a-Thon Pledges
Thank you for your support in encouraging student participation in the Read-a-Thon! Please return pledges to school by Jan. 13.
Oregon Battle of the Books
Thank you for your interest in participating in Oregon Battle of the Books. The teachers will be meeting with the volunteer coaches this week to discuss the format of the extracurricular activity. We will also schedule the date for the first after school practice.
Hult Center
We look forward to a class field trip to the Hult Center on Thurs., Feb. 16 at 11:15 for the Rose Children’s Theater lunchtime performance of songs from Glee. A permission slip will be sent home a week prior. Please let me know if you are interested in being a parent driver and chaperone.
Going Out and Community Service
Students are planning small group going outs based on research interests and community service projects during the months of January and February. More details to come soon! Also, please let me know if you are interested in being a rotating parent driver/chaperone for a small group of students on Fridays to check out books from the public library for research.
Ridgeline Calendar of Events
Friday, Jan. 13 Read-a-Thon Pledges Due
Monday, Jan. 16 No School in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Friday, Jan. 27 No School, Progress Report Day
Monday, Jan. 30 No School, Budget Reduction Day
Best,
Faith & Donna
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posted Jan 6, 2012 9:50 AM by Cynthia Friedman
Happy New Year and welcome back! It’s great to be back in class working with the students and seeing so many eager to engage. We look forward to a fabulous new year!
Exploration in the New Year
We are launching the new year with exploration of early American history (late 1700’s). Using the Core Knowledge Series for a Liberal Education, students are reading, writing, and discussing important questions: What is a colony? What are reasons that the American colonies wanted to break away from British rule? What did the Declaration of Independence proclaim for America? Explain what Thomas Paine means when he said of the early months of the Revolutionary War, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”
We look forward to reading the Declaration of Independence in the coming week, discussing its meaning, and shedding light on its relevance to our lives today.
Daily Reading
Your child’s homework is to read 30 or more minutes per day; please support him/her in completing the weekly reading log to return to school every Monday. A goal for the new year is for your child to read one of the books below at home by Feb. 13. You may read aloud to your child, he/she may read independently, or the parent and child may read aloud to each other. Children of all ages can benefit from listening to books that are read aloud, as it enlivens the imagination, develops critical thinking, and expands ones listening capacity.
Book List from the National Endowment for Humanities (www.neh.org)
Upper Elementary
Alexander, Lloyd. Chronicles of Prydain.
Andersen, Hans Christian. Fairy Tales.
Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting.
Baum, L. Frank. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Boston, L.M. The Children of Green Knowe.
Brink, Carol Ryrie. Caddie Woodlawn.
Brooks, Gwendolyn. Bronzeville Boys and Girls.
Burnett, Frances Hodgson. The Secret Garden.
Byars, Betsy. The Summer of the Swans.
Cooper, Susan. The Dark is Rising Sequence.
Dodge, Mary Mapes. Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates.
Eager, Edward. Half Magic.
Edmonds, Walter D. The Matchlock Gun.
Enright, Elizabeth. Thimble Summer.
Estes, Eleanor. The Moffats.
Farley, Walter. The Black Stallion.
Field, Rachel. Hitty: Her First Hundred Years.
Fitzhugh, Louise. Harriet the Spy.
George, Jean Craighead. My Side of the Mountain.
Grahame, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows.
Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm. The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales (Hänsel and Gretel, Rapunzel, etc.).
Hamilton, Virginia. The House of Dies Drear.
Henry, Marguerite. Misty of Chincoteague.
Howe, Deborah. Bunnicula.
Hughes, Langston. The Dream Keeper and Other Poems.
Irving, Washington. Rip Van Winkle.
Juster, Norton. The Phantom Tollbooth.
Kipling, Rudyard. The Jungle Book.
Knight, Eric. Lassie Come Home.
Konigsburg, E.L. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
Lamb, Charles and Mary. Tales from Shakespeare.
Lawson, Robert. Ben and Me.
Lenski, Lois. Strawberry Girl.
Lester, Julius. To Be a Slave.
Lewis, C.S. The Complete Chronicles of Narnia.
Lindgren, Astrid. Pippi Longstocking.
Lofting, Hugh. Doctor Dolittle.
Lovelace, Maud Hart. Betsy-Tacy.
Macaulay, David. Castle.
MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah Plain and Tall.
McCloskey, Robert. Homer Price.
Merrill, Jean. The Pushcart War.
Montgomery, L.M. Anne of Green Gables.
Nesbit, E. The Railway Children.
North, Sterling. Rascal.
Norton, Mary. The Borrowers.
O’Brien, Robert C. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh.
Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia.
Pearce, Philippa. Tom’s Midnight Garden.
Perrault, Charles. The Complete Fairy Tales (Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, etc.).
Sawyer, Ruth. Roller Skates.
Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty.
Sharp, Margery. The Rescuers.
Spyri, Johanna. Heidi.
Travers, P. L. Mary Poppins.
Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House on the Prairie.
Wyss, Johann David. Swiss Family Robinson.
Middle School
Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women.
Bagnold, Enid. National Velvet.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451.
Bunyan, John. The Pilgrim’s Progress.
Christopher, John. The White Mountains.
Cooper, James Fenimore. The Last of the Mohicans.
Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe.
Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol.
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.
Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
Dumas, Alexandre. The Count of Monte Cristo.
Eckert, Allan W. Incident At Hawk’s Hill.
Engdahl, Sylvia Louise. Enchantress From the Stars.
Forbes, Esther. Johnny Tremain.
Forester, C.S. The Horatio Hornblower Series.
Frank, Anne. Diary of a Young Girl.
Frost, Robert. Poems.
George, Jean Craighead. Julie of the Wolves.
Hautzig, Esther. The Endless Steppe.
Hilton, James. Goodbye, Mr. Chips.
Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders.
Hugo, Victor. The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Hunt, Irene. Across Five Aprils.
Hunter, Mollie. A Stranger Came Ashore.
Irving, Washington. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Keith, Harold. Rifles for Watie.
Keller, Helen. Story of My Life.
Kipling, Rudyard. Kim.
LeGuin, Ursula K. A Wizard of Earthsea.
L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time.
London, Jack. Call of the Wild.
Malory, Sir Thomas. Le Morte d’Arthur.
Mazer, Harry. The Last Mission.
McCaffrey, Anne. Dragonsong.
O’Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins.
O’Hara, Mary. My Friend Flicka.
Paterson, Katherine. Jacob Have I Loved.
Peck, Richard. The Ghost Belonged To Me.
Peck, Robert Newton. A Day No Pigs Would Die.
Pyle, Howard. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood.
Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan. The Yearling.
Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows.
Reiss, Johanna. The Upstairs Room.
Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de. The Little Prince.
Schaefer, Jack. Shane.
Scott, Sir Walter. Ivanhoe.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein.
Smith, Betty. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
Speare, Elizabeth George. The Witch of Blackbird Pond.
Sperry, Armstrong. Call It Courage.
Steinbeck, John. The Red Pony.
Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island.
Taylor, Mildred D. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit.
Twain, Mark. Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
Uchida, Yoshiko. Journey to Topaz.
Verne, Jules. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Webster, Jean. Daddy-Long-Legs.
Wells, H.G. War of the Worlds.
Wilder, Thornton. The Bridge of San Luis Rey.
Yep, Laurence. Dragonwings.
Zindel, Paul. The Pigman.
Oregon Battle of the Books
Ridgeline upper elementary and middle school students have the opportunity to participate in an extracurricular activity called Oregon Battle of the Books. Students across the state will compete against each other to answer questions about the books below in a contest the first week of March. Ridgeline has the opportunity to form both an upper elementary (3rd, 4th, and 5th year) and middle school (6th, 7th, and 8th year) team coached by a parent volunteer after school; students will meet on a weekly basis (day to be determined). The books below will be divided among the students to read for the competition. Please let me know by Monday, Jan 9 if your child wants to participate. The books your child reads for the competition can be in lieu of a book from the list above.
Oregon Battle of the Books Reading List
3-5 Grade List
11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass
o Fantasy
Among the Hidden
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
o Science Fiction
Becoming Naomi Leon
by Pam Muñoz Ryan
o Realistic Fiction
Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet
by Graham Salisbury
o Realistic Fiction
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
o Fantasy
Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise
o Mystery
Earthquake Terror by Peg Kehret
o Realistic Fiction
How Oliver Olson Changed the World
by Claudia Mills
o Realistic Fiction
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
by Bruce Coville
o Fantasy
The Last Newspaper Boy in America
by Sue Corbett
o Realistic Fiction/Mystery
The Magical Ms. Plum
by Bonny Becker
o Fantasy
The Mouse and the Motorcycle
by Beverly Cleary
o Fantasy
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
o Historical Fiction
On the Wings of Heroes
by Richard Peck
o Historical Fiction
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
by Grace Lin
o Fantasy
Who Were the Beatles? by Geoff Edgers
o Biography
6-8 Grade List
All the Broken Pieces
by Ann E. Burg
o Historical Fiction
The Circuit: Stories From the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jiménez
o Historical Fiction
Cracker!: The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata
o Historical Fiction
Cuba 15 by Nancy Osa
o Realistic Fiction
Football Genius by Tim Green
o Realistic Fiction
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass
o Realistic Fiction
The Kingdom Keepers
by Ridley Pearson
o Fantasy
Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye
o Fantasy
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
o Science Fiction
NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society
by Michael Buckley
o Fantasy
Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings
o Realistic Fiction
Scat by Carl Hiaasen
o Realistic Fiction
Stolen Children by Peg Kehret
o Mystery
Tiger by Jeff Stone
o Fantasy
When You Reach Me
by Rebecca Stead
Science Fiction
The White Giraffe by Lauren St. John
o Fantasy
Read-a-Thon
It’s awesome to see the enthusiasm among the Ridgeline community for the read-a-thon! Remember to tally your reading minutes and collect pledges due Jan. 13. Thank you!
Ridgeline Reader
Please view our student writings in the January Ridgeline Reader with more student works to come in February!
Wishing you a blessed week!
Faith & Donna |
posted Dec 9, 2011 10:49 AM by Cynthia Friedman
Ridgeline Reader
Highlights of student work include imaginative writing prompts, reflective writing on quotes from people who inspired powerful change in the world for the good of humanity, and poetry writing. Students who choose, will have the opportunity to submit writings to the Ridgeline Reader. One of the quotes we are currently focusing on is by Maria Montessori:
“We shall walk together on this path of life,
for all things are part of the universe, and
are connected with each other to form one
whole unity.”
The other quote is by President Obama, reflecting on the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. The following is an excerpt from the quote:
“And that is why we honor this man—because
he had faith in us. And that is why he belongs
on this Mall—because he saw what we might
become.”
Please look for student writings in upcoming readers!
Science Supplies
The following is an updated list of needed science supplies. We are always grateful for any contributions.
beakers
test tubes with stoppers
flasks
science hot plate
clear glass baking dish
small clay pot with drainage hole
potting soil
lima beans
corn, peanut, pea, mustard, alfalfa, and radish seeds
gallon of distilled water
plant food
sand
glass stirring rod
½ gallon wide mouth jar
gravel
6 strips of felt different colors (8” by 18”)
yeast
granulated sugar
sponges
large, durable work trays
nuts and bolts
ping pong balls
saw dust
strong rope
small plastic bucket with handle
watering can
plastic milk bottle
2 liter plastic bottle
powdered clay
colored sand
chalk powder
heat proof gloves
yeast
large rectangular metal pan
wax
Small hollow rubber ball
Small wooden ball
large horse shoe magnet
Pajama Day and Book Exchange
We look forward to pajama day and book exchange Fri., Dec. 9! Please bring books to school by Friday to donate to the “library” of books. Everyone will have the opportunity to choose a “new” book to take home and enjoy. We also look forward to viewing a student selected video on the awe and wonder of the universe—highlighting major concepts of gravity, electromagnetism, and relativity.
Human Growth and Development
December 14-16, both upper elementary classes will participate in Human Growth and Development presented by Planned Parenthood. The course content is in alignment with Oregon State Standards for elementary health education curriculum goals and objectives. Students will receive information on human anatomy/physiology, puberty, human reproduction, prenatal development & birth, and HIV/AIDS prevention.
Your child may be excused from Human Growth and Development upon your request. If you choose for your child to not participate in the program, please send a note to school stating your request and an alternative activity will be provided.
Daily Reading Log
Please support your child in completing the daily reading log sent home on Monday. Part of the homework in the elementary is reading 30 or more minutes per night. The student may read independently, listen to you read aloud to them, or a combination of both. This reading time is also recorded for read-a-thon minutes. You may include an additional two hours of class reading for the read-a-thon this week. Thank you for supporting your child’s lifelong love of reading!
It is an honor to work with your children!
Sincerely,
Faith & Donna
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posted Dec 2, 2011 12:34 PM by Cynthia Friedman
“Establishing a lasting peace is the work of education.” -Maria Montessori Children’s Work
It’s great to see the variety of work, creativity, and enthusiasm for experiential learning! Some highlights of the Montessori math and geometry materials include: the decimal board, surface area of a cylinder, volume of a triangular prism, and the geometric sticks (complementary angles, supplementary angles, two parallel lines cut by a transversal, interior space, exterior space, and alternate interior angles). Students are also enjoying demonstrating math word problems and procedures in small groups on the white board. It is inspiring to see that so many students are eager to share their knowledge! Highlights in language include symbolizing passages with the grammar symbols, transpositions (exploring the nuances of sentences by rearranging the words to create different meaning) , spelling/vocabulary, expository/imaginative writing, and Socratic Dialogue. Recent discussions include further exploration into the fundamental needs of human beings, selections from Aesop’s Fables, and A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Highlights in cultural studies include the parts of a river and further exploration into geographical locations of rivers throughout the world. Students are also exploring the lines of longitude and latitude on the globe, in addition to the 24 time zones. Small groups of students are having great fun working on chemistry experiments! They are working on following the steps of experiments thoroughly, asking intriguing questions, and dialoguing/writing observations and conclusions. I will be creating a new inventory of science supplies needed—more details to come! Students are also enjoying researching and creating power point presentations on animals, countries, geographical features, and astronomy topics. Human Growth & Development
Planned Parenthood of SW Oregon will present human growth and development, an Oregon public school state standard, to upper elementary students Dec. 14, 15, and 16. An introductory letter to the program and permission slip for your child to attend will be sent home in the following week. You are invited to join us for the parent overview of the class Dec. 6 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Planned Parenthood needs a minimum of 4 parents to commit to attending the meeting in order to present the overview. Field Trips/Going Out
The field trip to the Hult Center to see the ballet performance by Upstart Crow Studios was a great success! The students were delighted to see their classmate Sam Stout perform! A special thank you to all the parents for driving/chaperoning: Polly Sturdivant, Susan Zahn, Serafina Moses, Rozelle Burcher, Monique Murphy, Mary Johnson, and Catharine Inocencio. Students are planning small group community service projects/going outs based on their interests. More details to come! Read-a-Thon
Thank you to all the families for supporting our poetry performance at the book fair. The creativity and self-expression of the students was deeply meaningful and engaging. It was so much fun practicing with them for the performance! Thank for supporting your child in daily reading at home for the read-a-thon and in collecting pledges. The students may record an additional two hours on their pledge sheets for in class reading Book Exchange & Pajama Day
We look forward to a school wide read-in on Dec. 9. This will also be a pajama day and opportunity to exchange books among classrooms. Students are encouraged to bring books to school ahead of time for the exchange—Dec. 5-8. This is a great opportunity for all students to acquire new, exciting books to read! A special thank you to all the students/parents for a fabulous birthday surprise party! I am still in awe! Your children are awesome beyond measure!!
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posted Nov 14, 2011 11:03 AM by Cynthia Friedman
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Conferences
Thank you to everyone who attended family conferences. It was a delight to see your child share his/her work with you! I am proud of the students for their inspiring work! If you were unable to schedule a meeting during conference days, please feel free to schedule a meeting with me after school.
Class Trip to Hult Center Nov. 17
We look forward to viewing the lunchtime performance of Upstart Crow Studios at the Hult Center Nov. 17 @ 11:15 a.m. Our classmate Sam Stout will be performing in the play! Please bring a sack lunch and a water bottle. A permission slip will be sent home on Nov. 10 for you to sign and return on Nov. 14. Thank you!
Book Fair at Barnes and Noble Nov. 18
Please support the Ridgeline annual book fair at Barnes and Noble (Valley River Center) Nov. 18 from 6-7:45! A percentage of sales from your book purchases Nov. 18-23 go toward books for Ridgeline. Purchasers must indicate that they are with Ridgeline and present the book fair flyer from the Nov. Ridgeline Reader. The flier will be sent home again with families on Nov. 18.
Our class will be performing poems during the book fair. If your child volunteered to perform a poem, it will be sent home in the purple parent folder on Nov. 10 for your child to practice memorizing during the long weekend. Please review the Ridgeline awesome schedule of events below:
6 p.m. Kinder recites two poems “I Like Fall” and “What is a book?”
6:15 p.m. Emily and Alyson’s class performs “The Great Ball Game”
6:30 p.m. Eric’s class performs The Three Little Pigs
6:45 p.m. Faith’s Class performs a selection of poems (both original and those written by other authors).
7:00 p.m. Ridgeline choir performs.
7:30 p.m. Sarah’s class performs a skit from the “Secret Knowledge of Grown
Ups”
Cheri’s class will host a bookmark making table.
Jon’s class will host magnet poetry boards for everyone to write spontaneous poems.
Book for Silent Reading
Daily silent reading is part of developing concentration and study skills as a Montessori student. Please remind your child to bring to school a favorite book to keep in his/her cubby. Thank you!
Stone Soup
The students may bring a variety of vegetables to class (except for mushrooms) Tues. morning, Nov. 22. We will be cutting vegetables in class for the Stone Soup celebration on Nov. 23. Ridgeline is in need of large soup pots which you may lend to the school anytime before Nov. 23. Please label the pots with your name and drop them off in the front office. Thank you!
Knitting and Crochet Needles
We are looking for a donation of knitting/crocheting needles. If you have extra needles that you could donate to the class, that would be awesome.
Parent Folder
The purple parent folder is sent home on Fridays when there are notes from school and returned to school on Mondays.
Nov. 11 Veteran’s Day
School will be closed Nov. 11 in honor of Veteran’s Day.
Wishing you a blessed weekend!
Sincerely,
Faith & Donna |
posted Oct 27, 2011 10:12 AM by Cynthia Friedman
Children’s Work
Each day we continue to grow in building community, strengthening our concentration, critical thinking, creativity, and compassion! The Montessori classroom is an interdependent microcosm of the larger world that is guided by the vision of creating global peace through education.
Students are working with a variety of math and geometry materials, such as long multiplication on the Chequerboard, long division on the Stamp Game, factors on the Pegboard, multiplying fractions with the fractional insets, kinds of angles, relationships between angles, parts of a circle, and volume with the geometric solids (triangular prism, rhombic prism, hexagonal prism, and cylinder). Others are working on squaring, square root, prime factorization, area, perimeter, estimating, mean, median, mode, and Khan Academy algebra.
In language, we watched a video of President Obama’s recent speech at the dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. We began a discussion of the ideas presented and will continue to work with the speech through reflective writing—focusing on key passages as they relate to the students’ lives today. Later in the year, each student will have the opportunity to write a letter to the president expressing what the speech personally means to him/her and how the message can be applied to creating a more just and peaceful world. Students also continue to work with grammar boxes for the parts of speech, analyzing the parts of a sentence with the logical analysis material, spelling, vocabulary, and creative writing. Groups have also enjoyed Socratic Dialogue on selections from Aesop’s Fables, Turqoise Horse from the Junior Great Books Series, and Unstoppable Me by Wayne Dyer. A group of students created and performed a play based on the fable The Wind and the Sun (persuasion is better than force).
In cultural studies, students are working on individual research projects. Some examples include, jelly fish, the octopus, the tiger, global warming, lasers, Pacific Ocean life, Mt. St. Helens, and Maria Montessori. Students are also choosing a continent to learn the countries and capitals. Some students are working with the Montessori impressionistic charts: the fundamental needs of human beings, the chart of interdependence, and sun & earth charts. Others are focusing on Core Knowledge reading and questions on the human circulatory system.
Curriculum Sharing
Thank you to all the families who attended Curriculum Sharing Night! It was a wonderful experience of seeing the students shine in their love of the Montessori environment and their accomplishments!
Art and Handwork Basket
Thank you for all the generous contributions to the art and handwork basket. The basket turned out beautifully!
Pumpkin Carving
This week our class will carve pumpkins for Sheltercare. All proceeds will go toward supporting the homeless in Eugene.
International Children’s Day
In honor of our global family of children, students may choose to wear traditional attire from countries around the world on Friday, Oct. 28. Students may also bring international refreshments to share during lunch (fruits, vegetables, or prepackaged food). A note was sent home early in the week with items your child volunteered to bring.
Family Conferences
The students look forward to sharing their progress during family conferences! Conference slots are available on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 by signing up in the front office. Please sign up before or on Fri., Oct. 28. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Faith & Donna |
posted Oct 12, 2011 9:36 AM by Cynthia Friedman
Silent Auction Basket
We look forward to creating an art and handwork basket for Ridgeline’s Capital Campaign Kick-Off on Oct. 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Southtowne Shoppes, located at 27th and Oak St. (www.enjoysouthtowne.com). Students will bring items for the art and handwork basket to school in the coming week, before or on Oct. 13. We will put together the basket the week of Oct. 17. A special thank you to Polly Sturdivant and Betsy Brandenfels for volunteering to work with our class on the basket.
Here are some suggestions from the class of items to contribute to the basket:
crayons
colored pencils
markers
drawing paper
water color paper
sketching pencils
construction paper
yarn
knitting and crocheting needles
knitting and crocheting pattern books
sewing needles
thread
embroidery patterns
cloth
felting material
sewing patterns
water color paints
water color pencils
paint brushes
scissors
pencil box
clay
oil pastels
beads
supplies to make pot holders
If you have other ideas for art, craft, or sewing items, please feel free to contribute them! Thank you!
Community Service & Going Out
Our class has begun serving the larger Ridgeline community! Some of the students have begun supporting lower elementary students with writing. There will be other opportunities for our students to support lower elementary and kindergarten students with reading and the Montessori materials. In addition, students will have the opportunity to engage in service for the larger community of Eugene. Some students are also in the process of brainstorming ideas and planning for going out-- small group field trips fueled by student interests that expand on learning in the classroom. More details to come!
Curriculum Sharing
Please join us for curriculum sharing night on Thursday, Oct. 13 from 3:15 p.m.-4:15 p.m. or 6-7 p.m. This is an opportunity for your child to share with you his/her favorite work and for you to learn more about the power of the Montessori materials to engage your child in moving from the concrete to the abstract.
Ridgeline Calendar of Events
10/13 Curriculum Sharing (3:15 p.m. to 4:15p.m. or 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
10/14 No School (state in-service day)
10/22 Capital Campaign Kick-Off at Southtowne Shoppes (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
10/27 Picture Retakes
10/31 and 11/1 No School (family conferences)
It is an honor to work with your children!
Faith & Donna |
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